Bukayo Saka is back in the mix for England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed on June 20 that the Arsenal winger is improving, no longer in pain, and available for selection as the Three Lions navigate the group stage.
The Achilles question
Saka has been managing an Achilles tendon issue since March 2026. That’s roughly three months of careful fitness management heading into the biggest tournament in international football.
Saka already showed he can contribute in limited doses. He featured as a substitute during England’s opening victory over Croatia, where he made an impact by scoring. That cameo was both encouraging and revealing: encouraging because he looked sharp enough to find the net, revealing because Tuchel clearly didn’t trust the Achilles enough to start him.
The current expectation is that Saka will again come off the bench against Ghana, with a potential starting role not on the table until England’s final group-stage match against Panama. That’s a deliberate, methodical ramp-up that prioritizes the knockout rounds over group-stage dominance.
